The application for Nathaniel H Shackford’s headstone reads:
Shackford N H
Pvt Co B Regt 21
Mass Infy
City or Town Fitchburg
County and State Worcester Mass
Date of death Mch 14-1877
by Sheldon & Sons
Contract dated July 8-1887
Nathaniel’s military record shows he enlisted in the 28th Regiment, Massachusetts, Infantry Co B in Worcester, Massachusetts on Oct 9, 1861, mustered in the military on 12/13/1861 and was discharged for disability on 1/20/1862. We believe he lied about his age stating he was 41 when he was actually 60 years old which made it difficult to place him amid the Shackford family tree due to the age discrepancy.
Nathaniel, the son of Theodore and Dorothy (Kimball) Shackford was born July 22, 1801 in Chester, New Hampshire and married Abigail Bailey in Pembroke on Feb 20, 1823. He’s mentioned in his father’s will which was written in 1837 and is found in the 1850 census with wife Abigail and children Mary (22), Charlotte (15), Charles H (11), and Ellen (7).
We suspect the marriage with Abigail ended before 1855 as we find Nathaniel living alone in Fitchburg, Massachusetts in 1855 and find Abby Shackford living with some of her children in Pembroke in 1860 where she is working as a boarding housekeeper. Also by 1858, Nathaniel is pursuing custody of his son Albert Eugene Shackford from his wife Emeline Shackford in Worcester, Massachusetts. Nathaniel and Emeline must have worked things out as they are found together in the 1860 and 1865, and 1870 censuses and had two other children Elmer Ellsworth Shackford born in 1862 and Charles Hiram Shackford born in 1867. They lived at multiple other residences – 46 Blossom St, Laurel St, 9 Mill St, 10 Mill St, and 7 Newton Place before Nathaniel died in Fitchburg on March 14, 1877 at the age of 75. He was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
Nathaniel’s wife Emeline filed for a widow’s pension on Feb 28, 1885. She lived in Fitchburg and Leominister where she died on Nov 7, 1895.
Children
(with Abigail Bailey)
Mary Bailey Shackford (1827-1904) – married Charles Runlett Emerson
Leonard Shackford (1830-1899) – policeman in Cambridge, Mass., married Lydia L Gove
Betsy Shackford (1831-1832)
Theodore Bailey Shackford (1833-1907) – omnibus conductor in Cambridge, married Melvina Grant, Almira, and Sarah Jane Hooper
Charlotte Jane Shackford (1834-1887) – married Nathaniel Chapman
Charles Henry Shackford (1838-1911) – Teamster, Boston, married Minerva E Dow
Ellen Shackford (1843-1926) – married John Gilman Bartlett
(with Emeline E (Lovering) Bliss)
Albert Eugene Shackford (1857-1905) – moved to Rutland, Vermont, worked in a mill, toy factory, life insurance agent, married Betsey Jane Sparks
Elmer Ellsworth Shackford (1862-1938) – train conductor, railroad manager. Moved to Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Indiana. Married Elmira Isabelle (Holman) Shackford, his brother’s widow
Charles Hiram Shackford (1867-1887) – married Elmira Isabelle Shackford, died of typhoid fever age 19
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SOURCES:
1850 United States Federal Census, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Allenstown, page number crossed out, dwelling 474, family 479, Nathaniel Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 27 November 2013).
1855 Massachusetts State Census, Worchester County, population schedule, Fitchburg, page 2, dwellng 25, family 34, Nathaniel Shackford in household of L P Newell; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 June 2015).
1860 United States Federal Census, Middlesex, Massachusetts, population schedule, Groton, Page 70, Dwelling 541, Family 541, Nathaniel Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 August 2013).
1865 Massachusetts State Census, Fitchburg, Worcester, population schedule, , Dwelling 350, Family 413, N H Shackford; digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 June 2013).
1870 United States Census, Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, population schedule, , Page No 119, Dwelling 769, Family 1036, Nathaniel Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 June 2013).
28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Company B (http://www.28thmasscob.org : accessed Nathaniel Shackford),
Carter N. F., Rev, History of Pembroke, N. H. 1730-1895: In Two Volumes, Vol. II.-Genealogical (Concord, N. H.: Republican Press Association, 1895), page 295; digital images, Hathi Trust (http://babel.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 17 March 2016
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, County Probate Records, 1660-1973, Theodore Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch, http://www.familysearch.org (: accessed 24 February 2014); Merrimack, Probate Records 1839-1875 vol 16, page 219-220 (Image 114).
New Hampshire, New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920, , Nathaniel Shackford m Abigail Bayley, 20 February 1823; database, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 July 2013).
“U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934,” digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 August 2013), Emeline Shackford widow of Nathaniel Shackford.
“U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 May 2013), Nathaniel Shackford, 28th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry; citing M544 roll 36.
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CXX. THE SHACKFORD FAMILY.
SHACKFORD Family History 